Argyll & Clyde closure slammed

UNISON has slammed the Scottish Executive's decision to abolish Argyll and Clyde Health Board as distracting, divisive and demoralising.

"This is the wrong decision being made at the wrong time and will have a detrimental effect on both patients and staff", said Jim Devine, Scottish Organiser of Health for UNISON.

"It will distract staff away from their primary function - to deliver patient care services. It is divisive because depending literally on which ward a nurse may work could determine that person's new employer. The Health Minister's announcement could paralyse service change for nearly half-a-million Scottish people whilst they have to go through a formal consultation process.

"Last, but not least, this plan will demoralise over 10,000 staff working in Argyll and Clyde. If you are a manager or an aspiring manager, what chance does your future career have, if on your CV it states that you worked in the only Health Board in Britain to be abolished by Government dictat since the NHS was created in 1948?

"Basic industrial relation matters will have to be negotiated with the trade unions and will take months to process. Thirteen months after the last restructuring in the Scottish Health Service, UNISON is still negotiating throughout Scotland on its impact.

"If this is a covert strategy to write-off debt then this should just be done without the disruption. Professor David Kerr is about to report on the future of the Scottish Health Service. Where will that leave the Minister if Professor Kerr's report offers contradictory advice about NHS structures?

"One gets the feeling that the calls for abolition have not been fully thought through and that the Labour MSPs who have championed the demise of Argyll and Clyde Health Board may be singing a different tune when in two years time the electorate have to travel to Inverness or Glasgow to influence their NHS", railed Jim.

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